AUTO MANIA: by Dr. Iain Corness [email protected]

Singapore GP this weekend

 Singapore GP

Eff Wun under lights. This Grand Prix is lauded as pure excitement under lights, but for me, and countless enthusiasts, the excitement is not there. Narrow street circuits like Monaco lead to processions, and I don’t care how many singing budgies they have as ‘entertainment’. I follow motor racing - not music concerts. If I want musical entertainment, I can go to a concert anywhere, any time. I go to race meetings to watch motor racing. I do not need head bangers with my F1. If the organizers really want to put on an extravaganza, then run 10 categories of races as the lead-up to the top category F1. What a novel idea - racing cars at an F1 venue. Put on a “Retro” race and I’ll even take the BBX/Acorn Mk 1 Escort down (even if I have to drive it there)!
Having had my gripe, the Singapore Grand Prix will start at 7 p.m. Thai time on Sunday evening (NB: Qualifying is at 8 p.m. on Saturday). We will be watching from our perches at Jameson’s Irish Pub (Soi AR, next to Nova Park) and even though the racing commences at 7 p.m. join us around 6 p.m. for dinner (I do recommend the roasts), and a beer and a chat before the race begins. We watch on the giant screen, with the dedicated F1 channel which is of top value and there are no adverts during the race!

New Lexus LF-NX Concept at Frankfurt

Fugly LF-NX

Lexus’s presentation at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show was the world-first appearance of its new LF-NX concept, described as a vision for a mid-size luxury crossover model.
According to Lexus, the LF-NX reinforces Lexus’s leadership in hybrid power in the premium market, being powered by a new variation of the Lexus Hybrid Drive full hybrid system, tuned for SUV performance. It combines a 2.5 liter, four-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol engine with a power electric motor. At lower speeds, LF-NX can be driven under electric motor power alone.
The car’s frontal appearance is dominated by a strong interpretation of Lexus’ spindle grille and a signature arrangement of the front lights. The daytime running lights are given added visual emphasis by being positioned independent from the headlamps, in a similar fashion to the new Lexus IS, and underscored by full length LED turn signal lamps. The headlamps comprise three diamond-shaped LED units.
The LF-NX also displays a distinctive treatment of the front corners, which separate the bumper from the front wings with a sharp vertical cut line that narrows to a point beneath the headlamp units.
In profile, the LF-NX concept presents (according to the Lexus blurb writers) muscular wheel arches, edged with a black protective finish that expresses its urban crossover character. Above the pronounced diamond shape of the belt line, the side glazing is arranged in the classic Lexus profile, which works with the steep rake of the tailgate and integrated rear spoiler to create an athletic coupe-like silhouette. Both the front and rear wings are formed by a series of muscular, concave and convex curves.
At the rear the highly articulated lamp clusters project down the full depth of the bumper, creating a sharp, aerodynamic trailing edge to the vehicle that mirrors the detailing of the front wing design. The classic Lexus L-shape of the lamps is scored strongly into the rear bodywork, echoing the spindle form of the front grille. The wide lower bumper has no visible exhaust outlet, in recognition of the full hybrid powertrain’s low emissions performance.
The concept was presented in a new Brushed Metal Silver exterior finish that creates a striking impression of the car having been carved from a single piece of solid metal (just where do they dream these things up).
The interior mirrors the highly sculpted approach to the exterior with powerful forms and a highly ergonomic driver’s cockpit.
The cabin follows the “Human Oriented” element of Lexus’ L-finesse design, presenting a dashboard divided between an upper display zone and lower operation zone - a format perfected in successive generations of Lexus models. This enables intuitive interaction with the concept vehicle’s next generation technology, including touch-sensitive electrostatic switches and a new touchpad Remote Touch Interface design. Ease of use is further supported by an adjustable driver’s armrest (well that’s an earth shattering development).
The center console extends the full length of the cabin, bisecting the rear seats. Its bright, brushed metal finish has also been applied to the main instrument meters, the steer wheel, seat structure and overhead console.
The concept’s status as a premium crossover is reinforced by carved metal surfacing around the interior, sophisticated blue instrument lighting and yellow and black leather upholstery with contrast stitching.
Despite all that waffle, it is quite frankly, dreadfully fugly.

Dana expands with another gear making plant

The Automotive Focus Group reports that Tier One automotive parts producer Dana Holding Corporation plans to build a new gear making plant in Thailand, to open next year and produce up to 600,000 gear sets annually. Ohio-based Dana noted the new plant in Rayong, Thailand, would supply gear sets for its Spicer axle products distributed throughout Southeast Asia.
The Spicer product line includes axles and driveshafts for commercial vehicles, light trucks, off-highway vehicles, and industrial engines. Specific products include universal joints, driveshaft assemblies, steering shafts, end fittings, wing and center bearings, and end yokes, among various others.
As for gearing, Dana develops its 3-axis gearing technologies in the U.S., and manufactures the products from heat treated steel using face hobbing, shot peening, lapping, and coating.
Dana supplies axles and driveshafts to automakers in the region, including Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Suzuki, and Tata.
The company has three plants already in Thailand, employing 650 people. Approximately 125 new jobs will be established with the new manufacturing plant.
“Dana is committed to delivering differentiated innovations for growth markets such as Thailand,” according to Mark Wallace, president of Dana Light Vehicle Driveline Technologies. “By expanding our gear development and manufacturing capabilities in the region, Dana will deliver programs more efficiently, and be equipped to handle projected market growth.”
All very welcome words in the Eastern Seaboard industries.

Driver-redundant Benz

1885 Benz

Daimler-Benz reported that its S500 Independent Drive has retraced the route of the first long distance auto journey made in 1885 by the wife of car pioneer Karl Benz with the means of eight computer guided cameras and multiple radar sensors.
Though a Benz employee was behind the wheel to satisfy the law, the 104 km journey between the towns of Mannheim and Pforzheim was made under autonomous power, the massive S-Class limo accelerating and slowing to the designated speed limit, stopping at red lights and zebra crossings then re-starting under its own cognition. The ‘driver’ did not intervene.
The revelation was made by Daimler AG head of research Professor Thomas Weber who says that 53 km of Bertha Benz’s original journey now runs though busy towns and villages. The journey on which Frau Benz packed her two sons aboard the three-wheeler without her husband’s knowledge for an epic day trip was the first long range drive, a journey regularly commemorated by alternative energy vehicles.
This, however, is the first time the drive has been made without the human element. While autonomous driving is achievable by a growing number of cars in freeway conditions, Weber says this technology permits almost total ‘driver’ disengagement from the tedium of commuting. The caveat, such as it is, takes the form of the S500 ID’s inability to recognize pedestrians waving the car to proceed - which since this never happens is negligible. Even so, Weber says, “We will ensure the electronic driver learns to recognize sign language.”
So after ‘smartphones’ we now have ‘smartcars’?

Where does Williams F1 get its money to stay in business?

The Williams Group holding company (WGPH) has released its six monthly financial report.
The Formula One business recorded a turnover of £43.5m, closely matching the half year turnover for 2012 of £43.4m. Williams Advanced Engineering, the division of the Group that commercializes Formula One derived intellectual property and know-how, recorded a lower turnover of £11.2m (2012: £20.2m). The decline in turnover for Williams Advanced Engineering is due to a reduction in pass-through contracting work.
Overall Group turnover stands at £57.7m (2012: £64.9m). The results of the investment businesses, Williams Hybrid Power and Williams Technology Centre, Qatar, are progressing as expected and are in line with the board’s long-term business plan.
Speaking about the results, Founder and Team Principal Sir Frank Williams said, “Whilst the 2013 Formula One season has not brought the sort of results expected of a team with our history and pedigree, these half year financial results show that we are well placed to make progress with our business on all fronts.
“We have made strong personnel changes this year that will aid in returning us to winning ways. Pat Symonds is the new Chief Technical Officer, who brings unrivalled technical and leadership skills in addition to a proven ability to deliver on track results. We have also announced a long term engine partnership with Mercedes. The Williams F1 Team also announced a total of nine new sponsorship acquisitions, renewals and upgrades for 2013, with a strong pipeline of potential sponsors in place for 2014.”
Group Chief Executive Officer Mike O’Driscoll said, “Williams Advanced Engineering’s profitability is up and it has enjoyed a strong start to 2013, recently announcing exciting new projects with Nissan’s Nismo brand to build high performance vehicles and the F.I.A. Formula E Championship where we will supply the battery hybrid systems for all 42 cars next season.”
So Williams F1 may be down, but not out!

Jaguar releases details on its C-X17

Jaguar C-X17

Another release at the Frankfurt show was Jaguar’s small car and a cross-over, currently known as the C-X17. The development of this car is to meet the BMW X3 Series niche in the marketplace.
What the vehicles will be called is still up in the air, though we know Jaguar has registered “XQ” and “Q-Type” with the European Union’s trademark agency. It is thought that the new sedan is likely to be called the XQ while the crossover should get the Q-Type.
Both models will be built on the iQ[Al] platform, a scaled down version of the Range Rover SUV underpinning. It is light but also extremely stiff. It has also been designed to use diesel, plug-in hybrid and even battery-powered electric powertrains.
Jaguar’s latest all-wheel-drive system for the C-X17 continuously monitors grip levels and driver inputs and uses feed-forward torque distribution to both pre-empt and react to wheel-slip.
The C-X17 styling comes from Jaguar Land Rover design chief Ian Callum, the man responsible for the original Aston Martin Vanquish and contemporary Jaguars like the F-Type sports car.

Autotrivia

Last week I asked which driver in what car started 168th at Versailles, finished 3rd on the road at Bordeaux and won the overall classification? That was delving deep in automotive history. It was Ferdinand Gabriel.
So to this week. A fuel additive company sponsored a trial in which several outhouses were blown up with gelignite. Who did it?
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].